The Bridge 2 : Care And Feeding
by Gojirob
Summary: Can an odd teaming keep the new Fire Lord from biting off more than he can chew?  Post-finale spoilers


Care And Feeding

by Rob Morris

EARLY IN THE SPARKING YEAR OF ZUKO RLF

One of two men with the weight of the world on his shoulders gestured at two old women.

"I cannot banish you, for that would be wrong. Your only crime is loyalty to my house, however poorly I got along with my family. I only ask that you keep to your estates on Ember Island, and make no effort to ever see my sister again."

Which Zuko truly hated to do, even to Azula. If anyone had ever truly loved her, these two were certainly it.

"We find no objection to your terms, Fire Lord Zuko."

"We have no desire to see the former Princess Azula ever again."

Zuko chose his next words very carefully.

"I would like to believe that. But you two were her teachers for far too long for me to accept that my word alone will keep you away."

Li and Lo seemed on the verge of being offended, but pulled back.

"My Lord-you are the winner of the Agni Kai between you and your sister."

"This fact is beyond dispute. Even though the Fire Nation loves a winner, and you are in fact on the throne..."

"...if we felt in any way shape or form that your victory was in question, we would oppose you firmly..."

They finished as one.

"...and even an order of execution could not alter that."

Mai was at his right, but Zuko pointed to Sokka on his left.

"Still, everyone knows it was Commander Sokka's sister that truly took Azula down. That doesn't taint my victory in your eyes any at all?"

Both women waved dismissive hands in the air.

"The former Princess only ever disregarded our counsel twice. The first time, we suggested that you be brought in to the lessons so that she could learn by instructing. That did not go well."

Zuko could only imagine that it didn't. In a way, he was glad. As sharp as his skills might have become, being tutored by Azula held no appeal for him at all.

"The second time was when we recently suggested the delay of her coronation, a story whose outcome you well know. But never in living memory had the Princess ignored the lessons she swore to uphold the same as Sozin's Oath-recently taken out of the coronation ceremony."

The second sister (or was it the first? Zuko fought off nightmare images of beach-wear) spoke next.

"When Azula attacked the Lady Katara, she first spurned our sacred bond by compromising the Agni Kai itself. Even in a land that seeks results before rules, the outcome of the Agni Kai must never be called into question."

"But her greater crime lay in diluting her focus. Suppose your wounds were not as grave as she had hoped? Then, she would have faced two estimable opponents, with all rules of fair combat cast away. Her growing insanity was never proved more fully than at that moment. When a non-combatant was drawn in by her actions, she forfeited far more than just an earthly throne."

Other matters of state took less than a half an hour to publicly address, and when this was done, the Fire Lord withdrew to his work-chambers, his two top advisers at his side. Mai made a tough admission.

"You called it. They were offended by Azula breaking procedure."

Sokka cut some fruit and shook his head.

"I only thought they might be. Really, before the session started, I kind of thought you were right, and that maybe we were taking a chance by giving them a public forum so they could rally the malcontents."

Mai poured herself some juice.

"Yeah, but then that would have been a clear excuse for Zuko to banish-Zuko?"

The ruler of a good portion of the planet was sound asleep in his chair.

"You gonna take him to his bedchambers?"

Mai shrugged.

"We'd be stopped by aides and officials along the way. Face it, he'll get more rest here. Hey-any word on Kuei?"

Sokka grabbed at his head.

"No change. No change. He's enjoying the world too much to be confined to one city."

Mai's face now showed genuine anger.

"Well, what about Zuko? He wants to withdraw Fire Nation troops from Ba Sing Se and formally relinquish it back, but he can't do that until its King stops riding his bear and puts his butt back on the throne. Until then, Zuko looks like a tyrant and an oath-breaker!"

When said Fire Lord nearly stirred, Mai looked concerned.

"I need food-real food, made in a roadside shop by someone who doesn't quake and quail about who they're making it for. Sokka-you know all the local places. What have you got?"

Sokka ticked off some possibilities mentally, then chose one.

"This one place with a brick oven-no metal-started making this flat bread topped with spin-cut pig-cow cheese and the gravy of ground-up red apple-peppers. I've heard good things."

Mai calculated that her mother would absolutely hate the sloppy thing Sokka just described.

"Get one for each of us-and top them with meat. None of the vegetarians are here to make us feel bad."

Mai lay her boyfriend down on a cot she hid from intrusive servants who wouldn't hear of such a thing for their Lord.

"Why is it only Sokka and I can see how this is wiping you out?"

It wasn't exactly a friendship, but alliances were shifting in the world after Ozai's fall. Ty Lee and Suki were away with the other Kyoshi-Nai seeking to hunt down Mongke and the Rough Rhinos on a tip they were planning to bust Azula and/or Ozai out of prison. While Zuko was trying to handle his destiny, Aang seemed hyper-liberated by the fulfillment of his, and Katara was overjoyed to see him so happy. That left Toph in Omashu, under the tutelage and protection from parental intrusion of Bumi. Mai had seen that the ruling sessions were wearing on Zuko, but had to be away for her little brother's birthday, and feared that he would push himself to breaking when she was gone. But Sokka saw to it he ate and rested, and Mai was not such a loner as to spurn a like-thinking ally.

"I was wrong. Loving him can make me even more fearful than I was of Azula. And it will drive me crazier than she could ever be."

Sleep took the master attacker the same as her boyfriend, till her makeshift ally returned with the food.

"Four of them?"

"I'm pretty hungry myself. In case I took more than my share."

She shrugged while he unloaded the earthen cartons the flatbread was carried in and then sliced into triangled portions, about eight per loaf, though Mai noted it looked more like a flattened pie.

"I wasn't objecting. Do we have to wake him?"

"I dunno. From what I hear, this stuff is pretty good cold."

Flames suddenly heated one of the loaves, precisely enough to avoid burning the meat or melting the cheese.

"Not really a concern. The kitchen make this up? It's good."

The three were used to sleeps that never lasted quite long enough, and in fact, there was a very recent time when one of the things that kept them from ever sleeping too deeply was each other. Zuko looked more restored than he should have been. Despite his literal fire-power, people were once as apt to underestimate him as they were Sokka.

"Uh, No. I had Sokka run out and get it from this new tavern run by a returning soldier and a Dai Li agent Azula turned on before the others. Go figure."

Rather than comment on this capitalistic alliance between Fire and Earth benders, Zuko looked annoyed.

"Mai, the man is a Commander in the Fire Nation military. He can't be fetching take-out."

She waved this off.

"I only asked, he only went. Your staff takes too long making sure nothing they offer up offends you."

Zuko was so hungry, he was about even with Sokka in terms of consumption, and that was no mean feat.

"I guess they do. Sokka, keep that place in mind."

Sokka sighed.

"Yeah, well, it may be harder to get to from here on in. I really should have disguised myself, or something."

Mai got it immediately.

"Don't tell me."

Sokka nodded sadly.

"The instant the patrons found out our new Fire Lord was trying this exotic dish, word spread really fast. By the time I reached the palace gates, I spied lines around the block to get in."

All felt the disappointment, especially when it was realized none of them could now simply walk in and buy some food at a simple place. Saving the world demanded celebrity status. Mai had been annoyed by editorial 'expansions' of her role in stopping Azula at the Boiling Rock. Zuko tried not to frown.

"Does this job have no privileges except if you're an absolute monster? I mean, I knew there'd be some heavy lifting involved, but I thought there'd be some small joy too. Before we get down to business-does anyone object if we send the fourth-Sokka, what do they call this?"

"The Two Guys From Arisen-don't ask me how they got that name-said they came up with the idea in the middle of a Plaza-so they call it a Plaza Pie."

"Well, does anyone object if we send the fourth Plaza Pie to Uncle?"

There were no objections, save for Sokka's barely-restrained question about the pie getting cold, before his 'duh'-sense kicked in. Zuko laid out a map.

"I never knew we had so many soldiers in so many diverse places. Some are easy calls, like Omashu-or the outskirts of Omashu, since my father insisted on keeping a force outside its walls after Bumi kicked them out. Ba Sing Se is tougher. Its walls not only kept us out, but they also deterred all kinds of bandits and raiders. I'll keep trying to get Kuei to take back what's his. But no one had to tell me that the people there don't want Fire Nation troops around, and reconstituting the army will take time."

Mai raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

"Put the Dai Li to work raising those walls again. I mean, I was glad to get a win in Ba Sing Se, but those turncoats gave me the creeps. Anyone who'd follow Azula without at least some form of implicit coercion..."

She caught Zuko's look and realized her mistake.

"...err, well, sentence them to community service till the people there say they've made good. People as paranoid as them should know something about erecting barriers. And yes, I do count them differently than some of us. Iroh thought long and hard about the direction of our people. You put yourself through the wringer. I chose love over fear. They were dazzled by a budding psychopath who they had not known since childhood and who did not have the kind of hold Azula had over their families-until they chose to give it to her."

Zuko bit a piece of crust he had left over.

"Yet you'd have me put them in the place they committed their crimes, among the people they once bullied and tormented."

Sokka moved to her defense.

"Soldiers without a war need something to do. Just tell them it's the only way they'll ever see the Earth Kingdom again-because Bumi's not gonna take them in, I can tell you that."

"Which leads to my next question : How do I get those Fire Nation soldiers out without them rioting and possibly rallying to Azula, and not leave those places defenseless till their own people are ready to stand up?"

Mai and Sokka both gave a look, and Sokka let the future Fire Lady go first.

"Rally to Azula? She was foaming when you beat her, and after Iroh last checked on her, she's like a living keg of Ginger Brew."

"Uh, yeah- Zukman-Zukmeister-FireMan? Right. Uh, yeah, Zuko-your sis can't lead herself in potty training, right now."

Zuko looked down.

"And if someone were to whisper to her 'Princess, there are troops for you to lead, hungry for a return to glory', do you two think she could snap out of it THEN?"

His hands slammed down on the table, and flames erupted against his will, reminding them all of the heritage Zuko was seeking on many levels to spurn.

"I'm-sorry. I'm so sorry. It's like lately, there's not enough food and sleep to help keep me together. We did win this war, right?"

A sour look on his face, Sokka walked over to a bird by the window.

"Hawky-take this message to the Avatar-and leave Momo be when you do."

A squawk from the messenger indicated no promises would be made, and then it was off. Zuko looked at the retreating figure in the sky.

"I didn't know you had a messenger hawk."

Sokka shrugged.

"He only just came back this morning. I figure he'll turn up again at some point."

Mai couldn't resist the opening.

"The man with the plan."

Sokka raised a finger in the air.

"Maybe I am. But said plan is gonna need a lot of tweaking."

The Fire Lord was intrigued.

"Define a lot."

"My basic design for the underwater stealth boat versus the Mechanist's actual working product."

Said lot being defined, it was Mai who broke the silence.

"Something beats nothing, right?"

Which, relative to Mai, was a statement of Ty Lee-level enthusiasm, so the idea was heard out.

"Basically, on all fronts, issue an order that says anybody in the Fire Nation military who wants to go home can do so immediately. I'm thinking a lot will. That leaves three types of soldiers still out there : The really dedicated, the really rotten, and those who have gone native-maybe they even have more of a life in that holding or colony than they did in the Fire Nation, and the locals are good with them being around. The rotten will also clear out."

"Out of the goodness of their hearts?"

"Mai-"

"No, she's right. These aren't good people by definition. But without all those other soldiers and a general agenda from the Fire Lord to back them up, they're going to be the most open to arrest and revenge. Those guys will lie low and probably end up as delivery boys at places like that Plaza Pie shop."

Mai added in.

"I doubt the separation will be that cut and dry-but let's hear the rest."

"The people who have gone native live there and keep the peace, keep bandits out. The dedicated ones train the locals to take their place."

Zuko had no doubt this plan would need tinkering and resetting in every last place it was tried in.

"Mai? Can this work?"

She seemed to look positive.

"People need hope, although sometimes it can be as bad as having nothing. If this plan can even move in the direction he said, it's hope for the people-and hope that maybe less excruciating decisions will be ahead of us. Not that I'm betting on that."

Having hit one out, Sokka tried again.

"Okay-about Kuei-what if you accepted the power he offered over the Earth Kingdom, and then ordered him to assume his post? You'd have him over a barrel-either he has to accede to his own orders giving you power-or deny that you have the authority to do that, in which case he has to take his throne back."

Mai shook her head.

"Or he just avoids the messages we send out and keeps on the run, in which case the Earth King is a wanted fugitive who the timid Fire Lord-"

"HEY!"

"-perception, Zuko. It's all about perception-who the timid, power-fearing Fire Lord hunts with about as much success as he had with the Avatar."

Zuko looked at her, and then at Sokka.

"Are your sister and Aang serious?"

"I'm JUST pointing out-"

"I know, Mai. And you're right. Sokka, we can't force Kuei to do anything. Not if we want him to actually do it and not be the people whose legacy we're trying to undo. This isn't just about my family. This is about defeating all the local Long Fengs, those bullying Earth Kingdom soldiers I fought, that bloodbending witch, and everyone else who used the madness my family encouraged to set up their own madness. Every compromise we make with our ideals before we absolutely have to emboldens them and makes cynics out of people of good will. Speaking of which, any word from Chief Arnook?"

Sokka was not one for holding back, and this one was big.

"Ye-ah. He's asked that, if Suki is dumb enough to keep this backwater boy around for a while, that our firstborn child be his heir. The war depleted his family and the nobility in general. Spirits as my witness, I have no idea what to tell him."

Mai made a correct assumption.

"You tell him that-you have to check to see what Suki thinks?"

Sokka's eyes went very very wide.

"Ummm-yeah. She-hasn't gotten back to me on that, just yet. Oh-boy."

Actually glad for this 'Sokka' moment, Zuko kept on.

"It makes sense. Through Sokka's love for Yue and his father's status in the Southern Tribe, there's a connection. Let's keep it in mind. The more family or family-like connections the future leaders of this world have, the less apt we are to arrive back where we were at Sozin's accession. I want all of our kids to get along more like him and Katara, and nothing like me and Azula. But Sokka? What I meant was, does he accept the terms of the withdrawal of the Fire Nation navy from his territorial waters?"

Sokka shook his head.

"No."

"Well, we can try and make it faster. I just wanted to give his people time to fill in with their navy or the Southern Tribe's navy. How much sooner does he want it?"

"Zuko, you don't get it. He doesn't want the Fire Nation to pull out. He accepted the word of Katara, Gramps Pakku and me-not to mention Aang-that the new RLF is a good man looking to turn this whole mess around. He says that's great, but it doesn't diminish the responsibility your people and most especially your family bear in making the mess in the first place. Yue's fate may have been destiny-but Zhao is the physical reason she had to sacrifice her life. So he feels that your navies should keep on keeping those waters safe from pirates and anyone else. They want you to pull back a little, but the Chief feels that the Water Tribe has expended enough blood and treasure based on Fire Nation aggression."

Zuko sighed, and Mai heard enough acquiescence in that sigh that she felt the need to immediately challenge it.

"Sokka-try pointing out to Nanook-"

"Arnook."

"-whatever. Try pointing out to the Chief that every nation has to maintain some kind of defense, even in times of peace. He can't just lay the whole of a century's budget on our doorstep. Zhao was a jerk to everyone, including the new Fire Lord, who he tried to assassinate! Can your Dad talk to him?"

"He already did. That's where we got the pull back a little part."

Zuko paced, then sat back down.

"I thought my biggest problem would be getting our people out of the other lands fast enough."

Mai brought herself down an octave or so.

"Even my folks. Bumi made sure they were kept safe when the soldiers left them behind after the pull-out. Now, he's offered my Dad a position in the city's administration, and Tom-Tom needs to see Unca Boom before he goes to bed. Zuko, now that Fire Nation operations against these people have ceased, the presence of soldiers is going to be looked at differently. Some Fire Nation colonies have been where they are longer than Aang's been alive. Like Sokka said, the locals have probably long figured out which soldiers they like, Nation or no. The invasions caused a lot of hardship and recrimination, but they are a historical fact. Those aren't undone by edict or law."

Sokka shrugged.

"Maybe the two navies can do joint missions together."

Mai rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. Traditional opposites and generational enemies. That would go well."

A frustrated Zuko looked out the window.

"Just what did you put in that message to Aang?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because Appa is breaking air speed records on his approach."

Sokka and Mai also saw the magnificent creature moving in, just before two figures darted off his back.

"Boy-is that Hawky good or..."

Before he could finish, water and air blasts knocked him back. Zuko immediately took in the irony of the two who were attacking Sokka, rather than attacking him.

"Just what did you mean by that, SOKKA?"

"How could you say that kind of thing to me?"

Zuko held up a hand, trying to calm matters.

"What did the message say?"

Aang twirled his staff, looking ready to fight absolutely anyone.

"It asked me if I was running away again!"

Katara was looking ice-daggers at her brother.

"And that's all it said. Like a poisoned blade-no offense meant, Mai."

"None taken. I only ever used paralyzing toxins, anyway, when I did use it. Never the hard stuff."

Sokka got back up, and brushed himself off.

"Aang, whatever you think of me right now, we are friends. In fact, you are my oldest friend."

"Ummm-we've only known each other about a year."

"Yeah, but I feel like that one year was so mashed up, it was more like three to eleven years. Well old friend-we recently got a new friend, and you are not doing right by him. I'm sorry I had to resort to that kind of trash talk, but Zuko needs you here."

"And you couldn't have phrased it any more delicately?"

"Isn't gonna work, Sis. Because even though I went too far, I am in the right here. The only other way to get you here this quick was to lie about us being in danger."

Katara seemed put off by her brother's sobriety.

"Aang, maybe you better listen to him."

Sokka began.

"Unc showed Zuko some notes Azulon made in his later years. Seems he knew the war was having a corrosive effect on his people's ethics and morals, but he had no idea on how to pull back. He felt that, if he stopped the expansion, they'd lose ground and the Fire Nation might lose faith in the royal family. He worried that, if he pulled out of those areas that were harder and more costly to defend and made the war one of cold attrition, reprisals were sure to follow."

Zuko nodded.

"My grandfather seemed surprisingly aware that war was messy, and understood that we would strike back if an invader like ourselves hit us and then pulled out. He said it wasn't culture or tradition that demanded this, but Human nature itself. He couldn't see a way to end this except by fulfilling his father's dream. I don't have that luxury. I must restore balance to the world, the same as you. But we can't afford to repeat the mistakes of Roku and Sozin. I need you here, Aang. I need your input as I make choices, and I need your stamp on those decisions you can agree with. There are people who will obey the will of the Fire Lord, and there are those who will accept it as they must. But with the Avatar backing me up on some of these things, our legitimacy and good will can gain credibility, and those that wonder about me will worry less if they know you were in on the choices we make here."

Aang sat down.

"I keep saying I won't run away anymore. For the past month or so, I've been helping people put up dams, clear out floods, irrigate their fields, clear out brush from the final assault, and getting the word out that the war is really over. But I guess here is where the heavy lifting takes place. It's fun being out there-I even ran into Kuei-was I supposed to tell him something? Cause he was really having a good time, and I didn't want to interrupt. Oh-we did have to clean up after Bosco-he had peeled and eaten like forty jalapananas."

Sokka whispered to Mai.

"Now I know why you let us take the bear without a fight."

She shrugged.

"He was actually better to talk to than Azula, and he hugged less than Ty Lee."

Katara looked down.

"It became so rare to see Aang smile for a time. I guess he was having such fun playing traveling hero, I let myself forget about things back here, too."

Zuko nodded.

"Well, now that everyone's back-let's get some sleep. There's a lot on our plate, including some disappointing news for Chief Arnook and how to break it to him. I'd like to have Toph here, too. She can give us a perspective on Earth Kingdom nobility and getting them on the side of assuming local autonomy, at the very least. Katara, did you have something else to say?"

"Just this, Zuko-no matter how we all finesse and push, the pullout we all hoped could happen instantly is going to take time-maybe a decade or better. In fact-"

This time, she looked directly at him.

"-people out there aren't as anxious for the pull-out to start as they were for the war to end. For a while-maybe even your entire reign-you may just end up as de facto ruler of the world."

Zuko closed his eyes.

"Unacceptable. Because that means Sozin, my father and my sister have won. It doesn't matter if a good guy is the one running the whole show-in fact it makes it worse. Because it prepares people for having a world ruler, leaving no place for freedom and choice to grow, should my descendants be more like Azula than me."

Aang's response was predictable but extremely welcome.

"We won't let that happen, Zuko. We won't let the people of this world take a vacation from being responsible for themselves. I can tell them what happens when you run or walk away from what you have to do, even if it scares you."

"Good-now one last thing, Aang."

Zuko pointed out the window.

"Could Appa take me to the window by my bedchamber? It's my only hope of actually getting there without being assaulted by bureaucrats."

_**FIVE NIGHTS LATER **_

The Two Guys From Arisen had their restaurant commandeered by some very special guests-at least until the evening rush started. Even the edicts of the Fire Lord couldn't negate hungry consumers forever.

"For our honored guests, we have commissioned a series of brand new Plaza Pies. For the future Fire Lady-we were asked to keep it simple. So the cheese is not spin-cut but laid out naturally with slightly more tart apple-peppers used for the gravy. We call it the Great Mai."

Mai chose to let the pre-marital titling go in favor of chowing down.

"For the Avatar, a pie with two layers, the middle of which is filled with nothing but vegetables. We call it the Air Temple Deep Plate."

Aang showed that he enjoyed his selection.

"It's great! Can you make one for Appa?"

The chefs' faces showed the shock at merely contemplating a pie big enough to suit the Sky-Bison.

"Ummm...and for Lady Katara and Commander Sokka, a thicker crust, as is popular with Southern Water Tribe Mid-Winter feasts. We call it the So'-Sea Island."

Katara liked hers.

"Could you top it next time with Sea Prunes?"

Sokka nodded.

"Oh-and some green-striped haliherring fish?"

Nearly everyone else stared at the Water Tribe natives in horror. Toph was nearly finished in Omashu, so her special creation was held back for a week. As dinner settled in, Mai saw Katara sitting next to Zuko, talking state and just stuff. She turned to Sokka.

"Should Aang and I be worried? I mean, what she said to him about ending up default world ruler-I was trying to tell him that, but she knew how without trying."

Sokka shook his head.

"They're not cheating on you-they're cheating on me."

"What?"

"Well? If you had a sister like Azula, wouldn't you prefer to have mine?"

Mai bit some crust.

"That makes way too much sense. So are we a default brother and sister now?"

Sokka grabbed the last piece of pie, not even caring that it was the vegetarian one.

"Mmmm-maybe. But we two share a far more important bond."

"You mean the care and feeding of a Fire Lord who wants everything made right yesterday?"

Sokka gulped the piece down before responding. In the background, Aang stared in surprise at his empty pie tin, holding it up and shaking it out to see where his slice went.

"Nope-even deeper than that. We two are charged by the spirits with keeping all these obnoxiously hopeful heroes from overdosing on their surging levels of optimism. We are the killjoy killswitch, the buzzkill buzzer, and the feelgood failsafe. Without the likes of us, they'd all line up to jump into an inactive volcano without making sure first. Without us, they'd trust that everyone is as good and true as them. We are the cynics, Mai. When the darkness at last fades, and the sun comes shining in-we're the ones who remember to pull the shade down."

To Sokka's shock, Mai actually wiped away a single small tear.

"I hope my little brother grows up to be just like you."

Watching this tender scene with Katara, Zuko whispered to the WaterBender.

"Should I be worried?"


End file.
